The Moto X+1: Everything we know

In August last year, Motorola unveiled the Moto X, which proved to be one of 2013’s best handsets. It was crammed with incredibly useful features, had a thought-provoking design and was reasonably-priced.

The firm is keen to keep riding this wave of popularity and will release the second generation X, the Moto X+1, at some point this year.

As with all developments in the world of smartphones, the internet has been rife with rumours about the new handset. And if the gossip is to be believed, the latest model will feature a slew of new features, hardware and specs.

Design

Recently, a leaked image appeared on Baidu, apparently depicting the Moto X+1. The design is leaps and bounds away from it’s sibling model the Moto X. The screen surround is almost invisible, giving the handset the appearance of a hand-held flat-screen television.

However, photos released from leaks website TK Tech News show a device with a wider surround and curved edges.

The smartphone also appears to be larger than its predecessor, 5.2-inches versus 4.7-inches. As the handset is wider and taller, it almost looks like a tablet.

Rumours have been pouring out of China, with some suggesting a 5.2-inch 1080p display and others a 2.3GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 and 2GB of RAM and a 12MP camera.

Display

As of yet. Motorola hasn’t released a smartphone with a 1080p display, as both its Moto X and Moto G handsets are fitted with 720p screens.

However, Punit Soni, vice president of product management at the firm uploaded a screenshot to Google+ to dispel concerns over a new checkbox that would hide the network name from the status bar.

In doing this, Soni inadvertently advertised the screen resolution for all to see, and it looks as if Motorola will be adding a smartphone with a 1080p display to its family.

Specs

It appears that the Moto X+1 is hiding behind a nom de plume, as a handset called the Motorola XT912A has been found inside a GFXBenchmark. Many insiders are presuming the X+1 and XT912A are one and the same.

According to the rumour mill, the handset will feature a 5.2-inch display with a 1920 x 1080 resolution, Android 4.4.3, a Snapdragon 800 CPU, 2GB of RAM and 32GB of onboard storage.

In addition, lesk suggest the in-built camera will have a 12MP sensor and the device will be fitted with a built-in pedometer. Some suggest the smartphone will link to the Moto 360 smartwatch, much like Samsung’s range of devices. Could this mean the firm want to go head-to-head with the industry’s heavy hitters?

The Moto X can be customised through Motorola’s Moto Maker website, and it is assumed the Moto X+1 will also come with this option. Giving the consumer these options provides the consumer with a greater level of personalisation, much more than just choosing the colour of the handset like Samsung and Apple offer.

Price

Back in April, Motorola leaked the branding material for the upcoming release accidentally. The internet has been rife with leaks since then.

Many predict the pricing to be similar to the Moto X, which means people will probably be able to get their hands on one for less than £300. As with most newly released smartphones, the handset will probably be available for free with 24-month contracts.